Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Talk Tuesday-The Deceitfulness of Sin

Who doesn't love an action-spy-thriller?! I mean, one of those movies where you're on the edge of your seat, with your pulse racing and your mind trying to untangle the web of deceit that is an inevitable part of international espionage! Are you hooked as yet? Well, I almost was...to the point of sin.

It was one of those lazy Friday afternoons when I was at home by myself. I was surfing through the cable company's on-demand selection and found another instalment of my favourite action-spy-thriller. I paid the customary $4.99 and then settled in for an evening of high octane entertainment. The first five minutes were gripping. I was barely breathing when I suddenly heard the name of Jesus Christ used as a profanity. I paused the movie, and sat still. The war instantly began to rage in my soul. I felt shocked and confused. I thought, “I need to continue watching this, I need to see what happens next!” So, I began to reason within myself, “...after all, I'll just be left wondering how it all ends!” Then the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit began to speak. “How could you watch a show that uses the name of Jesus Christ as a profanity on Friday, then go and sing about that same name in reverent worship on Sunday?” You see, it was my turn to sing a solo at church that weekend. My song of choice? 'Worthy Is The Lamb' by Darlene Zschech of Hillsong. The first verse starts off with, “Thank you for the cross Lord, thank you for the price You paid, bearing all my sin and shame, in love You came and gave amazing grace,” then it crescendos with the chorus declaring, “WORTHY IS THE LAMB, SEATED ON THE THRONE, crown You now with many crowns, You reign victorious.” That day I turned the tv off. I decided that the $4.99 and the short term pleasure were not worth the pain of guilt that I would feel later. That was a poignant moment for me spiritually and for my growth as a Christian.

Hebrews 3:12-13 warns,“12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called 'Today,' so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.”

Sin's deceitfulness always starts off small, masked as harmless entertainment, an idle thought, a curious glance, a careless word, or an unintentional gesture. It is often accompanied by the thought, 'just this once,' or 'I deserve this.' One time becomes two, two become three and then hardness of heart leads to habit, or habit leads to hardness of heart. Thankfully, God has given us the Holy Spirit, the Word of God and one another for accountability. Let us guard our hearts diligently, encourage one another regularly, read the Bible daily and listen to the Holy Spirit constantly. And remember, JESUS died for your sins, so if you fall, repent and get back up because you are washed in the Blood of the Lamb!

1 comment:

Farah said...

AMEN! God bless you for your faithfulness and obedience. May He guard our hearts against the deceitfulness of sin and help us to obey Him daily.